Agenda and draft minutes

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The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. Where the item is already included on the agenda, it will appear under that item but new items of urgent business will be dealt with at item 6 .

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To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 2 September 2008.

AGREED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 2 September be approved.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct

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(i)                 To consider progress with proposals by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust (MHT) to reconfigure adult acute services in the Borough in the light of the recent report by the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT) on the clinical implications (attached).

(ii)               To consider further the consultation arrangements for the proposed changes and any changes to the terms of reference for the scrutiny review that may be necessary in response to the NCAT review. A copy of the scope and terms of reference for the review, as approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 6 October, is attached.

Lee Bojtor, the Mental Health Trust’s Service Director for Haringey, outlined progress that had been made since the last meeting of the Panel.  Following the meeting, the MHT’s proposals had been subject to a pre-consultation review by NHS London.  This was now required in all cases where an overview and scrutiny committee designated a proposal to be a “substantial variation” to local services.  In addition, it had become necessary to close a ward at St Ann’s due to flooding.  Although the problem had been resolved, the ward had remained closed.  Beds were nevertheless available if required.  However, demand had reduced due to the measures that the Trust had been taking to discharge people more quickly.

Part of the pre-consultation review had included an independent assessment of the clinical implications by the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT).  This had been undertaken by Dr Ian Davidson.  His report had been broadly favourable to the proposals but had suggested that the scope of the consultation be widened to include further possible changes to acute services.  In addition, some service users had suggested that, in view of the fact that the issues had been in the public domain for some time already, the consultation period be reduced from 12 to 8 weeks.

The consultation still required final sign off by NHS London before it could proceed.  However, it was envisaged that it would begin in mid to late January.  It would be a joint consultation with Haringey TPCT, although it would be managed by the Mental Health Trust.  The scrutiny process would run in parallel to it.

In the meantime, further steps had been taken to increase safety and prompt discharge.  This included:

·        Dividing support and recovery teams into two for the east of the Borough and two for the west.  Each team had one dedicated consultant psychiatrist

·        Locating Home Treatment Teams at St Ann’s Hospital near in-patient wards

·        Notifying all service users individually of the new arrangements

Both the MHT and Haringey TPCT, together with LB of Haringey, were committed to working together to develop mental health services in Haringey. Current work was focusing on planning what services were needed in the future and how these should be provided to deliver the best possible care.  A new Mental Health Strategy for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey would be produced in the spring and would be consulted widely on.

The changes in acute services that the MHT were currently proposing were fully aligned with national policy and therefore with the main themes of the new Mental Health Strategy. The MHT would also be seeking views in the spring on the wider development of mental health services in Haringey in order to support the business case for services at St Ann’s Hospital.  In addition, the PCT would also be consulting on the future of its services currently at St Ann’s as part of its Primary Care Strategy. The process and timetable for effectively managing these pieces of work were still being worked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

To consider any items of business admitted at item 2 above.

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